Structural toy assembly aid



June 12, 1945. ROACH I 2,377,904

STRUCTURAL TOY ASSEMBLY AID Filed Aug. 9, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 12, 1945.

E. M. ROACH STRUCTURAL TOY ASSEMBLY AID Filed Aug. 9, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 V Ear'Z 11.5 0 acl'z June 12, 1945. E', M, ROACH 2,377,904

STRUCTURAL TOY ASSEMBLY AID Filed Aug. 9, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 a r O B E: E I v 1 3 7E |H. E Si; Ull'u M w g? 0 x N Q m m L' 7 l -91 Q LR) ma q I q) June 12, 1945. VE. M. R ACH 2,377,904

STRUCTURAL TOY- ASSEMBLY AID Filed Aug. 9, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 12, 1945 STRUCTURAL TOY ASSEMBLY AID Earl M. Roach, Chicago, 111., assignor to Arvey Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of 11- linois Application August 9', 1944, Serial No. 548,679

6 Claims.

This invention relates to means for aidingin the assembly of and for positioning and supporting toy airplane frame former elements and the like structural toy parts.

The provision of toy airplane kits in the form of structural parts simulating various models of airplanes for the amusement and education of children is well known. Such kits conventionally comprise various frame former elements such as body formers, wing ribs, stringers, struts, and the like parts which require assembly by proper positioning and alignments of the respective parts, followed by gluing them together; For such purpose various assembly aids have been provided.

It is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved assembly aid, particularly adapted. for the construction of toy airplanes, which is of simple construction, easy to set up and assemble and which not only greatly facilitates the construction process, but additionally reduces the degree of skill required in making the assembly and at the same time is conducive to more accurate and better results.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a relatively rigid and convenient base on which the construction aid may be assembled and positioned for use, so as to eliminate the necessity for securing it in position to a tableor board and without the employment of thumb tacks or glue, While atthe same time permitting the construction aid and the component parts thereof to be securely fixed and aligned so as to insure necessary alignment and positioning thereby of the airplane frame former or other toy parts for which the construction aid is intended. This I accomplish in a novel, convenient and economical manner by employing a paper board container box section, preferably a section of the box in which the assembly kit is packed, as both the supporting. base for the construction aid and as a component portion thereof. In this manner there is quickly and conveniently provided a mounting and supporting base on which the construction and assembly of the toy may be further carried out and during the process moved about if desired, the container box section supporting base being relatively rigid even though composed of relatively thin paper board in view of its conventional side flanges which reinforce it and give it rigidity. Thus, in general my invention relates to a construction or assembly aid of the class described comprising at least two intersecting pairs ofsubstantially parallel strips of sheet material in interlocking slotted engagement with each other i and in edgewise elevated position on the surface panel of a paper board container box section, the strips-comprising slot means formed therein for reception and upright positioning of structural toy frame former elements, one of the pairs of intersecting strips being cut from and in integral hinged engagement with the box section.

Further objects relate to the details of construction arrangement of parts and the advantages thereof which will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and drawings wherein: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a paper board container box section illustrating one form of a pair. of hinged'tabs or strips die-cut from the facing panel thereof and thereby adapted to form a component portion of my assembly aid and a supporting base therefor.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to that of Fig. 1 illustrating another or alternative form of a hinged pair of assembly aid strips.

.Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse section taken through the hinged strips of Fig. 2, showing the strips edgewise elevated in vertical position with a toy airplane body former supported thereby in upright position.

Fig.4 is a fragmentary elevation of a slotted body former employed in Fig. .3.

Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3, but with the hinged strips in edgewise elevated inclined relationship to each other.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of a slotted body former employed in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary transverse section through a pair of hinged strips, such as illustrated in Fig. 2, further illustrating one of a transverse pair of interlocking strips for holding the hinged strips in edgewise elevated but inclined position.

portion of the separate elongated alignment rail employed in Fig. 9. I

Fig. 13 is an elevation in longitudinal section of the assembly 'aid generally illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan view of the arrangement of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary detail in transverse section through the hinged strips of Figs. 2, 13 and 14 prior to elevation from the plane of the face panel of the container box section.

Fig. 16 is a section on the line I6l6 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 17 is any elevation of the separate transverse interlocking tab or strip illustrated in Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of another modified form of arrangement employing morethan one pair of hinged tabs or strips and having interlocked therewith more than. one pair of separa ble strips and thereby'adapted for joint assembly of several component parts of the toy, such as the fuselage, wings and stabilizer of a; toy airplane.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly the form ofconstruction and arrangement of'Figs. 1,.

and 9m 12, the referenceznumeral 20 generally designates a paperboard container box section,v

either top or inverted,bottom,..comprising; a face panel 2| and side flanges22. Theface panel 21- i formed with a pair. of upwardly projectable.

hinged tabs or strips 23, of greater length than width, defined by thev die-cut lines of severance- 24 andthe parallel score or hingelines 25. Each 'of the two tabs 23 are formed with-a; pair of upwardly openable slots 26 0f a limited depth and width adapted: for frictional receptionandinterlocking transverse engagement with the separate pair of'relatively longer strips.- 21.

The strips 21 areeach providedwitha seriesof upwardly opening. slots 28 of: limiteddepth. and width adapted to frictionallyreceive andsupport the body formers 29 in uprightipositioniwhen employed for forming an airplane: fuselage, or similarly for wing ribswhen formingairplane-wings, or other frame former elements; for other component parts. The strips 2-! arefurther. each' provided with apair of. downwardlyopem'ng sl0t's'30, oneadjacent each end, the .=slots 30' on each strip being spacedadistance equal to thatbetween the. twoscore or hinge lines onithehingedstrips'23.. Thus, in erecting the. assemblyv aid, thetwo.

hinged tabs' 23: are first. poppedF-up from the carton face 2| and-the two separatev strlpsor alignment rails 21. extended: Withthe slots 26 and simultaneously the tabs 23 are extended within the rail slots to bring the'four strip components into interlocking slotted engagement with each other, all in edgewise. elevated positionand engaged on the face of the container section-.toprovide a firm assemblyalignment'aidlwhich maybe 'ment of the body formers.

In conventional manner the'bodyformers 29 are additionally provided with spaced peripheral notches 32 whereatthe stringers' 33 :mayrbe positioned and secured by gluing about themajorperipheral portions of the body formers; and after the, glue has set the frame assembly maybewithdrawn as a whole from the assembly aid and stringers engaged to the remaining portions of the former elements which were previously embraced by the pair of rails or strips 21.

It will be understood from the variance in the illustration of Fig. 1 and Fig. 9, that the parallel hinge lines of the tabs 23 may extend either obliquely to the sides of the carton section or parallel to either of its sides, as desired.

The form illustrated by Figs. 2, 3 and 13 to 17 similarly employs a paper board container box section generally designated as 35 comprising a face panel 35 and side flanges 31. The face panel 36 is formed with a pair of upwardly projectable tabs or strips 38, of greater length than width, defined by the end and medial die-cut lines of severance 39 and 40 respectively, and the parallel score or hinge lines 4|. The hinged strips or alignment rails 38 are provided with a series of slots 42 opening to their adjacent severed longitudinal edges adapted for transverse reception of frame former elements, such as body former;. or wing or other ribs, when edgewise elevated.

For the purpose of holding the hinged strips or alignment rails 38 in edgewise elevated operative position I provide a pair of relatively shorter separate tabs or strips 43 each provided with a pair of downwardly opening slots 44 spaced a distance substantially equal to that between theihinge-or score lines 4 I, the Width of slots 44 being substantially equal to the thickness of stripsv 38. strips- 38 are each provided with added upwardly opening slots 45 adjacent their ends and ofv a. width substantially equal to the thickness of tabs 43 for transverse reception of the latter. In this manner the four strip components may be interlockingly engaged to thereby cause these parts.

tobe held in fixed position and in edgewise ele-.

vated relationship on the face 36-of the box 'seca Thereafter body formers 29, or other frame former elements may be positioned and engaged; inthe upwardly opening slots 42 and the assembly of the. component toy unit carried outas described with respect to the previous form.

Although I have shown the alignment. strips 38 to be'erected in' vertical position, they maybe operatively'erected in edgewise elevated inclined position with the adjacent longitudinal edgesof.

the strips 38. in convergent relationship; as illustrated by the modified details of Figs. 5:130 8. Such inclined relationship may at times become necessary-in the construction of certain airplane models where there is considerable variation in size, diameter or contour of the series of body formersnecessarilyemployed. For this purposel'provide a pair of separate strips or tabs 46 each formed with a pairof divergent slots 41 opening to one longitudinaledge. When the tabs46 are-inserted Within the slots 45 of the hinged strips 38, andthe strips 38 further urged into the inclined slots 41, thefour components will be-held in fixed interlocking slotted engagement with the'tabs- 48 in parallel edgewise elevated vertical position and with-the strips 38 in edgewise elevated but inclined relationship'to each other.

For-association with the rails 38 when held-in-- clined towards each other, I provide body formers 48, which although generally similar to bodyformers 29, are provided with the divergentor substantially radial slots 49 opening to the pe riphely for interlocking slotted engagement with inclined hinged strips or rails 38;

Fig. 18 illustrates a further modified arrangement wherein a comprehensive assembly'aidfmay' be employed for simultaneous visualization and The construction of the fuselage, wings and stabilizer of the toy airplane, as set forth in my aforesaid co-pending application, by the aid of a composite of the two Within forms generallyshown by Figs. 1 and 2..

Thus in this composite form, I similarly employ a paperboard container box in section designated as 50 and comprising a facing panel and side flanges 52. A pair of spaced relatively short die-cut tabs or strips 53 are hinged on the parallel score lines 54 and elevatable from the surface of the face panel 5| similar to the previously described hinged tabs 23, and in like manner the tabs 53 are provided with a spaced pair of upwardly opening slots for reception and positioning of the alignment rail pair of separate strips 55. These alignment rails 55, similar to the alignment rails or strips 21, are each provided with downwardly opening slots adjacent their end portions spaced at a distance equal to versely of the slot pairs 51.

The face panel 5| i further cut and scored to provide a pair of relatively elongated hinged alignment rails 58 defined by die-cut lines of severance and cored hinge line 59, similar to the hinged rails 38 previously described, and are likewise formed with an upwardly extendible series of slots 68 for transverse reception and upright positioning of body formers such as the body former 6|. For the purpose of maintaining these alignment rails or elongated strips 58 in fixed edgewise elevated operative relationship, they are further provided with two longitudinally spaced pairs of upwardly opening slots adjacent the ends of the rails 58, one set of slots being at the junctures indicated as 62 and the other at the junctures generally indicated as 63. At the junctures 62, the separate rails 55 are each provided with longitudinally spaced downwardly opening slots adjacent their mid portions so that the transverse extension and cooperative interlocking slotted engagement of the rails 55 with respect to the hinged rails 58 holds and maintains the rails 58in fixed. edgewise elevated position. This edgewise elevation is aided at the juncture 63 by means of the transverse pair of strips 64, each of which are provided with a spaced pair of downwardly opening slots at the juncture 63, these tabs being somewhat similar to the Previously described tabs 43, and' similarly seat into interlocking slotted engagement with the hinged strips 58. The width of the tabs 84 may, however, be somewhat wider than hinged tabs 58 and for the purpose of acting as alignment rails in themselves. Thus, the transversely extending interlocked tabs 64 are provided with a series of slots 65 opening to their upper longitudinal edges and adapted thereby for the transverse reception and positioning of stabilizer ribs 66.

It will thus be apparent from the foregoing that my invention is susceptible of numerous arrangements, combination and modifications of the parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to be restricted thereto except as so limited by the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Adevice for aiding in the assembly of and for positioning and supporting toy airplane frame former elements and the like structural toy parts, comprising a supporting base composed of a paperboard container box section having a main face panel and perpendicular side flanges, and two pairs of sheet material strips adapted to be extended in edgewise elevated relationship thereon and in crossed and interlocking slotted engagement with each other, one of said strip pairs being formed'with a plurality of pairs of longitudinally spaced slots opening to their upper longitudinal edges adapted to transversely receive and support frame former elements, one of said strip pairs being separable from and the other being in integral and in edgewise hinged engagement with the face panel of said supporting base and elevatable from the plane thereof.

2. In device for aiding in the assembly of and for positioning and supporting toy airplane frame former elem nts and the like structural toy parts, a supporting base'comprising a paperboard container box section and means for symmetrically positioning and supporting in upright position a series of said frame former elements thereon comprising two pairs of sheet material strips adapted to be extended in edgewise elevated position on the surface of said box section and in transverse- 1y extending interlocking slotted engagement with each other, one of said strip pairs being partially defined by lines of severance from and being further in edgewise hinged engagement with the face of said box section and elevatable from the plane thereof.

3. In a device for aiding in the assembly of and for positioning and supporting toy airplane frame former elements and the like structural toy parts, a supporting base comprising a paperboard container box section and means for symmetrically positioning and supporting thereabove in upright position a series of said frame former elements comprising a pair of spaced parallel strips defined by lines of severance from and remaining in edgewise hinged engagement with the face of said box section and being elevatable from the plane thereof and a second separate pair of sheet material strips adapted to be extended in spaced side by side relationship transversely of said hinged strips, each of said strip pairs being formed with slots opening to a longitudinal edge for interlocking slotted engagement with each other, said slots being spaced to position and maintain each of said strips in edgewise elevated relationship on the box section, one of said strip pairs being formed with upwardly opening slots adapted for transverse reception and support of said frame former elements. I

4. A device for aiding in the assembly of and for positioning and supporting toy airplane frame former elements and the like structural toy parts comprising a pair of alignment rails composed'of sheet material strips adapted to be positioned in edgewise elevated side by side relationship and formed with pairs of longitudinally spaced upwardly opening slots adapted to transversely receive and support said frame former elements in upright position and downwardly opening slots for engagement with support means, and means for supporting the rails in said relationship comprising a paperboard container box section having a pair of spaced parallel hinged tabs 'cut and elevatable from the face of said box section, said tabs being formed with upwardly extendible slots for transverse reception of said rails and for interlocking engagementttherewithtat the downwardly opening slotted" portions: 0!: the lat ter. 1

5. Adevice for aiding .inthemssembl of. and for positioning and supportingztoyrairplaneframe. former elements and'the like structural toyi parts comprising a paperboard! containerv box; section having; a pair of adjacentparallel hingedialignment rail strips cut and-edgewise;elevateiirom.

the face of vtheiboxsection", the .railszbeing formed with a plurality. of. upwardly; extendibleslot pairs adapted for the transverse. reception; and upright positioning of. said. frame: former. elements therein. and being. further formed with upwardly extendible slotpairsfor, transverse re ception and engagementoi meansifor maintaining the hinged rails. in said edgewise; elevated position, said. means comprising: apair' of, sheet: material stripsadapted to: extend; transversely of and be. received. within the designated; rail slots andv being formed withspaced complementary downwardly opening slots for reception of the rails to maintain theminterlocked therewith in edgewise elevated position.

6. A. device of the class described comprising two: intersecting pairs of substantially parallel strips of sheet material in interlocking slotted engagement with each-other and in edgewise elevatedv position on the surface of. av paperboard container box .section, said box section; including aface paneland perpendicularv side. flanges, said strips comprising slotv means formed therein for.

I reception and upright positioning; of: structural EARL. M ROACHLv 

